Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Basketball Battles Florida State
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
February 12, 1999
Wake Forest vs Florida State
Monday, February 15, 1999 * 7:00 pm * Joel Coliseum * Winston-Salem, NC
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- The Wake Forest women's basketball team hosts Florida State this Monday night, February 15th, in a crucial ACC contest. The Deacons, who have lost nine straight, currently stand one game ahead of last-place FSU, who has dropped eight in a row, in the conference standings. A win vs. the Seminoles would keep the Deacs out of the ACC cellar and help secure a spot in the 7/8 game of the conference tourney, rather than having to face the top seed in the 1/9 game. Wake is coming off an 86-48 drubbing at the hands of No. 7 Duke, while FSU was last defeated by Florida, 106-89.
Scouting Wake Forest (6-17, 2-11 ACC)
No. 7 Duke won its 13th straight conference game with an 86-48 win
over Wake Forest in Durham on Thursday night to clinch the No. 1 seed for
the ACC Tournament. The loss was the ninth straight for the Demon Deacons.
Duke opened the game with a 16-0 run, before Wake Forest scored its first
basket, an Olivia Dardy jumper, at the 13:55 mark of the first half. The
Blue Devils led by 32 at the half, and never dipped below that lead in the
second period, leading by as many as 40 points. Three Blue Devils scored
in double figures, as Michele VanGorp led all scorers with 13 points.
Hilary Howard and Krista Gingrich chipped in 12 and 10 points,
respectively, as Duke shot 53.2 percent (33-of-62) from the floor.
Freshman forward Liz Rogers was the only Deacon in double figures,
contributing a career-high 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Senior forward
Emon McMillian led the rebounding effort, pulling down a game-high eight
boards as Wake outrebounded the Blue Devils, 40-31.
Through 23 games, Dardy leads the team in both scoring (9.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg), while McMillian ranks second in both categories with 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Wake Forest is averaging 63.1 points per game on 38 percent shooting, and the Deacons have outrebounded opponents by a +1.4 margin. WFU averages 5.6 three-pointers per game as a team, hitting 31 percent of its treys. In ACC games only, the Deacs average just 58.8 points per outing on 36.4 percent shooting, are outrebounded by a 0.9 margin, and commit 20.9 turnovers per game.
Scouting Florida St. (6-17, 1-12 ACC)
Florida State sports a record nearly identical to that of the
Deacs, and the Seminoles have lost eight straight games since defeating WFU
on Jan. 14th. FSU was last defeated by Florida, 106-89, in a nonconference
tilt last Thursday. With leading scorer Latavia Coleman (20.8 ppg) out for
the season, FSU has been led by sophomore forward Brooke Wyckoff (14.0 ppg,
8.1 rpg, 2.3 bpg), and senior guard Jen Robinson (13.1 ppg, 4.1 apg).
Freshman guard April Traylor (12.6 ppg) and senior forward Tamara Gracey
(10.6 ppg) are also averaging double figures on the year. As a team, the
'Noles average 74.8 points per game on 43.1 percent shooting and have been
outrebounded by a 1.6 margin.
Series History
Wake Forest owns a 10-7 all-time record vs. Florida State in a
series that dates back to the 1991-92 season. FSU has won the last three
straight meetings, however, sweeping WFU last year (64-63 in Tallahassee
and 63-56 in Winston-Salem) and defeating the Deacs 80-57 in Florida
earlier this year. Wake's took three games from the 'Noles in the 1996-97
season, including a 70-59 decision in the first round of the ACC Tourney.
Earlier This Year
All five FSU starters scored in double figures as the Seminoles
handed Wake an 80-59 loss in Tallahassee on Jan. 14th. Florida State led
by 10 at the half and continued to pull away in the second period for the
win. Wake shot just 31.3 percent from the floor (26-83), including a
season-low 8.7 percent from three-point range (2-23), but outrebounded the
'Noles, 52-44. No Deacon scored in double figures, although five players
scored eight points each. Wake played without starting power forward Emon
McMillian, who was out with a shoulder sprain.
Fountain of Youth
The Deacs feature an extremely youthful squad this season, with 10
of 14 players in only their freshman or sophomore years of eligibility.
The young squad is anchored by four veterans, however, including two
fifth-year players (Heidi Coleman, Emon McMillian), one true senior (Jenn
Miklic), and one junior (Alisha Mosley), all of whom are starters.
Free Throw Woes
Wake Forest has struggled from the free throw line this season,
with the Deacs hitting just 62.8 of their shots from the charity stripe.
In ACC games, Wake has hit just 58.5 percent of its foul shots, though the
Deacs did sink 18 of 19 vs. UNC on Jan. 2 - a school record of 94.7 percent.
In Search of More Point Production
Last season, the Deacs consistently struggled to put points on the
board. No player finished the season in double figures, and the team
averaged just 57.4 points per game. This year, Wake showed improvement in
the scoring department early on, averaging 77 points per game in the first
five games. The team has topped 70 points just three times in its last 18
games, however, and has scored less than 60 points 10 times. In the seven
of the last eight losses (excluding Maryland), the Deacs have struggled
with poor shooting, hitting just 32% from the floor (142-441), 19% from
three-point range (27-141), and 57% from the free throw line (66-116).
Against UM, Wake hit a season-high 51% from the floor (26-51), 44% from
three-point range (8-18), and 75% from the line (6-8).
Interior Improvements
The Deacs have benefitted from a stronger inside game this season
with the return of some key players and the addition of some new faces.
Three returning forwards - senior Emon McMillian (8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and
sophomores Olivia Dardy (9.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (7.1
ppg, 4.4 rpg) - have demonstrated much-improved inside games this year,
ranking as the team's top three rebounders and three of the top four
scorers. All three have posted at least one double-double on the year. In
addition, 6-4 freshman centers LaChina Robinson (6.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and
Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) have provided additional size and
defensive presence in the paint.
Double-Digit Deacons
Although no Deacons are averaging in double figures on the season,
12 of Wake's 13 active players have recorded double digits in either
points, rebounds, or assists during the year. A look at Wake's
double-digit performances:
Name Pts Rebs Ast D-D's
Elizabeth Biedrycki 1 0 0 0
Heidi Coleman 3 0 0 0
Olivia Dardy 10 6 0 5
Adell Harris 0 0 1 0
Brenda M. Kirkpatrick 6 2 0 1
Val Klopfer 3 0 0 0
Emon McMillian 10 1 0 1
Alisha Mosley 10 0 0 0
LaChina Robinson 4 0 0 0
Liz Rogers 1 0 0 0
Kristen Shaffer 1 0 0 0
Janae Whiteside 1 0 0 0
Guards Boast Improved Assist-to-Turnover RatiosAnother area of dramatic improvement this year is in the Deacon guards' assist-to-turnover ratio. Last season, only one player registered a positive ratio for the season (Heidi Coleman was 57-to-55) and the backcourt as a whole stood at -1.13. This year, every guard but one boasts a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior guard Alisha Mosley leads the backcourt with a +1.37 ratio (56-to-41), while Coleman owns a +1.22 ratio (45-to-37) and sophomore guard Janae Whiteside stands at +1.10 (32-to-29). The three own a combined +1.24 ratio on the season (133-to-107), while the backcourt as a whole (including rookies Adell Harris and Val Klopfer) checks in at +1.13 (197-to-174).
Bench Scoring
Wake Forest boasts an extremely deep lineup, and head coach
Charlene Curtis has utilized her entire bench in nearly every game this
year. In fact, the Wake bench has contributed almost half of the team's
points on the season (710-of-1451, 49%) and has outscored the starters in
13 of 23 games. In the last 11 games, the bench has outscored the starters
nine times, contributing 55% of the team's points (316 of 579).
Raining Threes
Wake Forest has utilized an arsenal of three-point shooters this
season to rank as one of the top long-distance teams in the ACC. After
averaging 6.3 threes per game in its first 16 outings, Wake hit a four-game
dry spell in which they sunk just 3.5 threes per game and hit only 18
percent of their attempts (14-76). In its next two games, Wake drained
eight treys vs. Ga. Tech and Maryland before going 3-of-15 vs. Duke.
Senior point guard Heidi Coleman remains Wake's top three-point threat,
(32-90, 35%), although her backup, Val Klopfer (22-58, 38%) has emerged as
a long-distance danger as well. Junior Alisha Mosley (24-83, 29%),
sophomore Janae Whiteside (15-58, 26%), and freshman Adell Harris (6-22,
27%) have all contributed some threes from the two-guard position. In
addition to guards, two of the Deacs' post players have the ability to step
out and hit a three as well - sophomore forwards Olivia Dardy (23-74, 31%)
and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (4-16, 25%).
Coleman Chasing Three-Point Shooting Records
Senior point guard Heidi Coleman already ranks as one of the top
three-point shooters in school history, and she is closing in on the Wake
Forest records for threes made and attempted in a career. Coleman owns a
35.3 career three-point shooting percentage and ranks second all-time at
WFU in three-pointers made (175) and attempted (496). Those numbers rank
her 12th and 10th (respectively) in the ACC record book.
Coleman also holds the school single-season records in both categories, hitting 61-of-179 treys in 1996-97. Last year she nearly matched those marks, hitting 57-of-166. Coleman also ranks as the school's eighth all-time assist leader with 273, and is 16th in points with 885.
Rookies Stepping it Up
Charlene Curtis' first recruiting class has started coming into its
own recently, highlighted by the contributions of several rookies in the
team's win over Georgia Tech on Jan. 4th.
Center LaChina Robinson (6.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.8 bpg) has started all 23 contests and has been a solid addition to the Deacons' inside game with her rebounding and shot-blocking ability. She has proven to be a scoring threat as well, netting four double-figure outings on the year. She tallied a career-best 22 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks vs. Georgia Tech to earn ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) continues to share time with Robinson at center, and has been a steady contributor off the bench. She posted a career-best 12 points vs. Providence.
Point guard Val Klopfer (4.1 ppg) has seen her playing time steadily increase, and she now splits time at the point with starter Heidi Coleman. She has proven to be a dangerous three-point shooter (22-58, 38%) and has three double-figure outings, including a career-high 18 points vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 4. Guard Adell Harris (2.0 ppg, 1.7 apg) has also seen increased court time of late and shown to be a great playmaker. She put on a show-stopping performance in the final 10 minutes of the Georgia Tech game on Jan. 4, dishing 10 assists and making three steals to key the Deacs' come-from-behind win.
Swing player Liz Rogers (2.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg) has consistently provided a spark off the bench with her hustle and determination. Although averaging just 4.8 minutes per game, Rogers has been one of the most productive Deacons this season in terms of points, rebounds, and steals per minute. She netted her first double-figure outing vs. Duke on Feb 11th, tallying a career-high 10 points in just 11 minutes of play.
The sixth member of the freshman class, 6-4 center LaTisha Pearson, has not yet dressed for a game but continues to practice with the team to further develop her skills. She will redshirt the 1998-99 season.
Dardy Leads Deacs in Scoring, Rebounding, Steals
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy continues to lead the Deacons in
scoring (9.8 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg), and steals (1.3 spg). She ranks
as the ACC's seventh-leading rebounder overall and is sixth with 7.7 boards
per ACC game. A versatile player who can play the three, four, or five
position, Dardy can score both in the paint and from three-point range.
She has played primarily small forward this season after playing mostly
center as a rookie. She holds a 31.1 three-point shooting percentage
(23-74) and has notched five double-doubles on the year. Earlier this
year, she earned All-Tournament honors at the Fairfield-Warner's Classic,
racking up 31 points and 21 rebounds in two games. She earned ACC
Co-Player of the Week honors on Dec. 13th for her 17-point, 15-rebound
outing in the win over Maryland. Last season, Dardy led the team in
scoring and rebounding in ACC games (8.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and was named to ACC
Athlete's All-Freshman Team.
Mosley An Offensive Key
Junior guard Alisha Mosley has been one of the Deacs' key
playmakers in the first 23 games, averaging 8.3 points and a team-high 2.4
assists per outing. Mosley has scored in double figures 10 times this year
(including a career-high 23 points vs. VCU) and has led the team in scoring
four times. She has led the team in assists in eight games, dishing a
career-high six set-ups vs. both FDU and UNC. Mosley also ranks among the
team's top three-point shooters (24-83, 29%) and owns a +1.37
assist-to-turnover ratio (56-to-41). She was named to the
California-Oakland Tribune Classic All-Tournament Team after totalling 31
points and seven assists in two games. An ACC All-Freshman pick in
1996-97, Mosley averaged 7.6 points and 2.1 assists per game last year.
McMillian Anchors the Post
Senior forward Emon McMillian serves as one of the Deacs' primary
anchors this season, bringing veteran experience to a young frontcourt. A
fifth-year player, McMillian is in her second season as the Deacs' starting
power forward. She currently ranks second on the team in both scoring (8.9
ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg) and she has posted 10 double-figure scoring
outings, including six of the last 10 games in which she hasn't been
injured (FSU - out with shoulder sprain; Ga. Tech - played just two minutes
due to ankle sprain). McMillian's best outing of the season came in the
Deacs' win over Providence, where she netted the fourth double-double of
her career with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. She currently
ranks 17th on Wake's all-time rebounding list with 421 career boards.
McMillian's father, Jim, played in the NBA and was a member of the Lakers'
1972 championship team.
Miklic a Defensive Stopper
Senior forward Jenn Miklic continues to serve as the team's top
defensive player, often receiving the assignment of covering an opponent's
top offensive threat. An aggressive player and a strong athlete, Miklic
has started the past 21 games at small forward and averages just over 11
minutes per game. Her best offensive game of the year came vs. Pittsburgh
in the California-Oakland Tribune Classic, where she netted eight points
and five rebounds. In the loss to NC State, Miklic dished a career-high
six assists in just 18 minutes of play.
Kirkpatrick a Key Contributor
Sophomore forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick continues to provide a
spark for the Deacons off the bench with her strong play and tremendous
hustle. Kirkpatrick averages just under 18 minutes per game but ranks as
the team's fourth-leading scorer (7.1 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (4.4
rpg). She has tallied six double-figure scoring outings on the year and
grabbed double-figure rebounds twice, netting her first career
double-double vs. West Virginia (13 pts, career-high 13 rebs). She netted
a career-best 15 points in back-to-back games at the Fairfield Warner's
Classic (vs. FDU and ECU) earlier this year.
Shaffer, Whiteside Come Up Big vs. Maryland
Sophomore reserves Kristen Shaffer and Janae Whiteside posted their
best outings of the year in the Deacs' loss to Maryland, with each notching
her first double-figure outing of the season. Shaffer netted 10 points on
5-of-8 shooting vs. UM, while Whiteside had a team- and career-high 13
points, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from three-point
range. A versatile swing player who excels in the open court game, Shaffer
averages 9.0 minutes and 2.6 points per outing on the year. Whiteside can
play point or shooting guard and has shown dramatic improvement in her
skills since last year. She averages 11.8 minutes per game, contributing
3.2 points and 1.4 assists per contest. Whiteside owns a +1.10
assist-to-turnover ratio (32-to-29), and she dished a career-high five
assists vs. both West Virginia and Maryland.
Dardy, Robinson Earn ACC Honors
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy and freshman center LaChina Robinson
have both earned weekly honors from the ACC this season. Dardy was the ACC
Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after posting 17 points and 15 rebounds to
lift WFU to a win over Maryland, snapping a 17-game ACC losing streak.
Robinson was the ACC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 11th after collecting 22
points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals - all career highs -
to help Wake to a win over Georgia Tech.
ACC Leaders
As of Feb. 11th, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy ranked seventh in
the ACC in rebounding (7.3 rpg) while freshman center LaChina Robinson is
ninth in blocks (0.8 bpg). In ACC games only, Dardy ranks sixth in
rebounding (7.7 rpg) and 10th in blocks (0.6 bpg), while Robinson is sixth
in blocks (0.8 bpg).
Team Rankings
Through games of Feb. 11th, Wake Forest ranked second in the ACC in
three-pointers per game (5.6) and fifth in three-point percentage (31.2).
Other rankings: 8th in scoring (63.1 ppg), 8th in scoring defense (72.3
ppg), 8th in scoring margin (-9.3), 9th in field goal percentage (.380),
8th in field goal percentage defense (.436), 9th in free throw percentage
(.628), 8th in blocks (2.2 bpg), 9th in steals (7.0 spg), 8th in turnover
margin (-3.2), and 6th in rebound margin (+1.5).
Honors and Accolades
Olivia Dardy (So, F) - Fairfield-Warner's Classic All-Tournament
Team, 11/28; ACC Co-Player of the Week, 12/14. Alisha Mosley (Jr, G) -
California-Oakland Tribune Classic All-Tournament Team, 12/21. LaChina
Robinson (Fr, C) - ACC Rookie of the Week, 1/11.
School Records
The Deacs attempted a school-record 27 three-pointers vs. Georgia
Tech on Feb. 3...the seven turnovers Wake committed vs. UMBC tied the
school record for fewest TOs in a game (set in 1982)...Wake hit a
school-record 94.7 percent of its foul shots (18-19) vs. UNC on Jan. 2
....the Deacs drew a school-record 3,214 fans to the Duke game on Jan. 11.
Tip-Ins
Wake Forest won the battle of the boards in 15 of its first 23
games...the Deacs are 5-10 when they outrebound opponents and 1-7 when they
don't...the Deacs have hit 10 or more three-pointers on three occasions
this year (vs. FDU, Virginia, UMBC)...the season-opening win over VCU
snapped a 16-game losing streak, the longest in school history...the Dec.
13th win over Maryland broke a 17-game drought vs. ACC foes...Adell Harris'
10-assist performance vs. Georgia Tech marked the first double-figure
assist game for a Deacon since Gretchen Hollifield dished 11 vs. Maryland
on Jan. 31, 1996...Wake's 38 points vs. Clemson were the fewest by a Deacon
team since a 78-35 loss to Virginia on Jan. 2, 1980...Wake is 4-1 when
leading at halftime...the Deacs have shot 50% or better from the floor this
year only once (51% vs. Maryland)...four opponents have shot 50% or better
vs. Wake Forest (Colorado State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, and Duke).
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPPos. No. Name Ht. Yr. GP/GS PPG RPG Other F 5 Emon McMillian 6-1 Sr. 22/22 8.9 5.3 1.2 apg F 12 Jenn Miklic 6-0 Sr. 22/21 1.6 1.6 1.0 apg C 34 LaChina Robinson 6-4 Fr. 23/23 6.1 4.1 0.8 bpg G 11 Alisha Mosley 5-6 Jr. 23/21 8.3 2.6 2.4 apg G 22 Heidi Coleman 5-6 Sr. 23/23 6.0 2.7 2.0 apg Reserves F 32 Olivia Dardy 6-1 So. 23/2 9.8 7.3 1.3 spg F 50 Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick 6-0 So. 23/1 7.1 4.4 1.0 apg G 10 Val Klopfer 5-6 Fr. 21/0 4.1 0.9 1.1 apg G 21 Janae Whiteside 5-7 So. 23/2 3.2 1.0 1.4 apg G/F 20 Kristen Shaffer 5-10 So. 23/0 2.6 1.3 0.4 spg G/F 45 Liz Rogers 5-10 Fr. 19/0 2.3 1.3 0.4 spg C 33 Elizabeth Biedrycki 6-4 Fr. 23/0 2.2 2.2 0.3 bpg G 23 Adell Harris 5-8 Fr. 23/0 2.0 0.9 1.7 apg
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
Wake Forest Statistic Florida St. 63.1 Scoring Offense 74.8 72.3 Scoring Defense 80.2 -9.2 Scoring Margin -5.4 38.0 Field Goal Percentage 43.1 43.6 Field Goal Pct Defense 44.9 31.2 3-Pt FG Percentage 24.9 5.6 3-Pt FG Per Game 2.4 62.8 Free Throw Percentage 67.2 15.3 Assists 13.4 19.2 Turnovers 21.3 2.2 Blocks 3.7 7.0 Steals 10.3 -3.2 Turnover Margin -0.9 40.4 Rebounds 39.0 +1.4 Rebound Margin -1.6
